With the recent release of the second episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm, “Brave New World,” there has been an interesting theory floating around about a certain character in the background of the first two episodes. While many have seen Eliot Hampden, Chloe’s ex-boyfriend, as a knock-off Warren, there are just as many that feel a creepy, Mark Jefferson vibe from him as well.
The original Life is Strange saw a crazy twist at the end of episode four, as it turned out Mark Jefferson was a psychopath, drugging, photographing, and even killing young girls at Blackwell for his “art.” In hindsight, there are plenty of subtle hints in the game that point to this outcome.
- In episode 1 Jefferson says “I could frame any one of you in a dark corner”
- Mr Jefferson gets a tad defensive when Max brings up Rachel Amber
- There is duct tape in his office when Max makes the pipe bomb
- Jefferson was one of two people to drink whiskey, something seen in the dark room sneak peaks
On the surface, Elliot comes off a typical teenager, texting Chloe too much, always asking her to hang out. Usually when he texts, her response is limited to one or two words, nothing that keeps the conversation going. Again, this is pretty normal for a teenager, I’ve been on both sides of the coin myself, but it’s pretty clear that while they had a brief connection – which we learn about in “Awake” – after her Dad died, Chloe doesn’t feel how he seems to about her.
“Brave New World” has two key instances that make Eliot’s actions go from a guy who doesn’t get the message to something must more sinister. The first occurs right after the first sequence of the game, where Chloe can either let Rachel take the fall or is expelled from school. In the parking lot right after, there is an option to talk to Eliot, who is leaning against a car texting, right before approaching David and Joyce.
In the conversation, he brings up whether Chloe wants to hang out after The Tempest. If she says she doesn’t, he persists about three more times. Even if you do, he asks if you want a hug regarding the whole situation that occurred and it comes off as misplaced and creepy given how Chloe reacted to the question and action. Later on in the episode he texts her similar odd things again.
His personality is in Life is Strange: Before the Storm has been far too reserved as well, as if he is hiding something. In comparison to everyone else he just seems a bit off. Even Samuel Taylor can’t get a read on him. So far in the series, the Janitor has been somewhat of an omnipotent presence, able to accurately read people and assess situations relevant to both Max and Chloe throughout both games. In an optional conversation Chloe has with the peculiar Blackwell Janitor, she asks him
“What about Eliot Hampton? Have you seen him recently?” to which Samuel responds, “I only see what Eliot wants me to see. Usually I can see both what people want me to see and what they keep hidden.”
The disturbing evidence to support that something may not be right with Eliot comes soon after Chloe’s conversation with Samuel, in another optional, missable scene. In the boy’s dormitory, before entering Drew North’s room, players have an opportunity to look around Eliot’s room. In the room she finds plenty of things, a scholarship, a lacrosse stick, a clarinet, even a cute old picture of the two at a concert. All of that is pretty normal, right? Then Chloe opens his notebook of “Poems.”
It’s pretty obvious this is about Chloe, based on a previous image from earlier in the episode compared to the wings in the notebook. The poem goes on:
Even Chloe is a bit weird out, stating “Okay…dark.” In the second to last image below, she begins to question just who it is that Eliot is writing about in the journal.
The next sentence that “Eliot is way more…artistic than I thought,” displays an unsure pause, with her voice displaying a considerably uncomfortable tone. The seal on the creepy deal comes in the last image below.
The picture above his final poem is a bloody knife, with letters under it reading You Are About to Die. While this is a creepy statement in its own right, made even more so by the poem below, it’s also one of the two things that Chloe can choose to graffiti on the truck in the Junkyard near the middle of the episode.
The only two people who know about the truck, or have even seen it, are Frank and Rachel. Neither of these two characters would have interacted or shown Eliot this. So it’s either a very big coincidence that Eliot wrote those same words in his creepy diary (maybe its a song lyric), or he has been following Chloe. A realization Chloe seems to have too based on her reaction at the end of the scene, realize the poems are about her, visibly unnerved, stating “Wait…are these about me? What the fuck Eliot.”
In reality, it could simply be a red herring, as Deck Nine may be aware that fans are on their guard after what happened with Jefferson in season one. But if not, it could be a reason that Chloe and Rachel don’t escape from Arcadia Bay before things take a turn and they get wrapped up in the events of Life is Strange.
Maybe Chloe is running from Eliot at the end of the quick sneak peek of “Hell is Empty,” trying to frantically start her truck to get away. Only episode three of Life is Strange: Before the Storm will tell!